Yochai Eisenberg, Mackenzie Hayes, Amy Hofstra, Delphine Labbé, Robert Gould, Robin Jones
Safely walking or wheeling in a wheelchair in the community is a civil and human right. Some progress has been made in the US towards making walking/wheeling paths more accessible for people with disabilities through the construction of new curb ramps, fixing sidewalk barriers, and installing accessible pedestrian signals. However, pedestrians with disabilities continue to be limited by infrastructure barriers on sidewalks and streets. To encourage progress and government transparency, we developed a set of performance metrics for local governments to monitor and report their progress in implementing barrier removal plans, called Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plans. We used the five-step Nominal Group Technique to systematically develop and prioritize a set of performance metrics with an expert panel of ADA coordinators, disability organizations, and state and federal Department of Transportation staff. The research resulted in obtaining 53 metrics across five goals and 14 objectives that can be used to measure all phases of implementation and are intended to be customized to fit different community contexts and capacities. The metrics could be used by federal and state transportation agencies, as well as internationally, with some adaptation to ensure that adequate progress in barrier removal is being made. Local governments can use the metrics to document and communicate their progress and effectively reduce ADA compliance litigation concerns.
{"title":"Performance Metrics for Implementation of Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plans","authors":"Yochai Eisenberg, Mackenzie Hayes, Amy Hofstra, Delphine Labbé, Robert Gould, Robin Jones","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8020027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8020027","url":null,"abstract":"Safely walking or wheeling in a wheelchair in the community is a civil and human right. Some progress has been made in the US towards making walking/wheeling paths more accessible for people with disabilities through the construction of new curb ramps, fixing sidewalk barriers, and installing accessible pedestrian signals. However, pedestrians with disabilities continue to be limited by infrastructure barriers on sidewalks and streets. To encourage progress and government transparency, we developed a set of performance metrics for local governments to monitor and report their progress in implementing barrier removal plans, called Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plans. We used the five-step Nominal Group Technique to systematically develop and prioritize a set of performance metrics with an expert panel of ADA coordinators, disability organizations, and state and federal Department of Transportation staff. The research resulted in obtaining 53 metrics across five goals and 14 objectives that can be used to measure all phases of implementation and are intended to be customized to fit different community contexts and capacities. The metrics could be used by federal and state transportation agencies, as well as internationally, with some adaptation to ensure that adequate progress in barrier removal is being made. Local governments can use the metrics to document and communicate their progress and effectively reduce ADA compliance litigation concerns.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140367083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alessandro Muolo, Barbara Zagaglia, Alvaro Marucci, Francisco Escrivà Saneugenio, Adele Sateriano, Luca Salvati
To delineate new directions of urban development in a context of demographic shrinkage in Southern Europe, the present study illustrates a comparative analysis of the demographic balance in metropolitan Athens, Greece (1956–2021). The analysis delineates short-term and long-term dynamics of the natural population balance, considering the impact of the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic, and assuming a contemporary increase in gross mortality rates and a marked fertility reduction associated with birth postponement. To address such objectives, we have compared the natural growth of population (the ratio of the total number of births to deaths) at ten year intervals (1956, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2021) in 115 municipalities of metropolitan Athens, controlling for the local context. The empirical results of descriptive statistics, spatial analysis, correlation statistics, non-parametric inference, and exploratory multivariate techniques outline the indirect impact of COVID-19 on population dynamics, being in some ways additive to the already observed effects of the Great Recession, reinforcing demographic shrinkage in specific local contexts. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Crisis likely accelerated the typical outcomes (population aging and low fertility) of the second demographic transition in Greece. These dynamics are associated with more volatile (and possibly reduced) immigration flows and with enhanced emigration, fueling urban shrinkage and a progressive economic decline of metropolitan regions, as our evidence suggests for Athens. Additional research should ascertain the aggregate, indirect role of pandemics in population dynamics as a proxy of urban and regional decline in European regions exposed to long-term aging.
{"title":"Cities’ Hands Are Tied: Short-Term Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Natural Population Growth in Metropolitan Greece","authors":"Alessandro Muolo, Barbara Zagaglia, Alvaro Marucci, Francisco Escrivà Saneugenio, Adele Sateriano, Luca Salvati","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8020026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8020026","url":null,"abstract":"To delineate new directions of urban development in a context of demographic shrinkage in Southern Europe, the present study illustrates a comparative analysis of the demographic balance in metropolitan Athens, Greece (1956–2021). The analysis delineates short-term and long-term dynamics of the natural population balance, considering the impact of the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic, and assuming a contemporary increase in gross mortality rates and a marked fertility reduction associated with birth postponement. To address such objectives, we have compared the natural growth of population (the ratio of the total number of births to deaths) at ten year intervals (1956, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2021) in 115 municipalities of metropolitan Athens, controlling for the local context. The empirical results of descriptive statistics, spatial analysis, correlation statistics, non-parametric inference, and exploratory multivariate techniques outline the indirect impact of COVID-19 on population dynamics, being in some ways additive to the already observed effects of the Great Recession, reinforcing demographic shrinkage in specific local contexts. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Crisis likely accelerated the typical outcomes (population aging and low fertility) of the second demographic transition in Greece. These dynamics are associated with more volatile (and possibly reduced) immigration flows and with enhanced emigration, fueling urban shrinkage and a progressive economic decline of metropolitan regions, as our evidence suggests for Athens. Additional research should ascertain the aggregate, indirect role of pandemics in population dynamics as a proxy of urban and regional decline in European regions exposed to long-term aging.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"123 29","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140378971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We explore two complementary mechanisms that are designed to work together to reduce spatial inequality—redrawing municipal borders and the redistribution of tax resources. This study’s methodology is based on the empirical analysis of 376 decisions of boundary commissions and permanent geographic commissions that resulted in land transfers and redistributed tax resources in Israel. Our findings indicate that the impact on spatial inequality is mixed. Over time, the amount of land transferred to low socio-economic municipalities has increased, provided that these municipalities are located in the center of the country, or have a Jewish ethnic majority, are politically affiliated with the Minister of the Interior and the ultra-Orthodox right, are financially sound, and have a large population and a large area. In contrast, the redistribution of tax resources provides revenue increases for low socio-economic municipalities that are in the periphery, largely populated by Arabs, are unaffiliated with powerful politicians, are financially weak and small in size and population.
{"title":"Municipal Territoriality: The Impact of Centralized Mechanisms and Political and Structural Factors on Reducing Spatial Inequality","authors":"I. Beeri, Meirav Aharon Gutman, Jonathan Luzer","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8020025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8020025","url":null,"abstract":"We explore two complementary mechanisms that are designed to work together to reduce spatial inequality—redrawing municipal borders and the redistribution of tax resources. This study’s methodology is based on the empirical analysis of 376 decisions of boundary commissions and permanent geographic commissions that resulted in land transfers and redistributed tax resources in Israel. Our findings indicate that the impact on spatial inequality is mixed. Over time, the amount of land transferred to low socio-economic municipalities has increased, provided that these municipalities are located in the center of the country, or have a Jewish ethnic majority, are politically affiliated with the Minister of the Interior and the ultra-Orthodox right, are financially sound, and have a large population and a large area. In contrast, the redistribution of tax resources provides revenue increases for low socio-economic municipalities that are in the periphery, largely populated by Arabs, are unaffiliated with powerful politicians, are financially weak and small in size and population.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 81","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140384349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zongcheng Yue, C. Lo, Ran Wu, Longyu Ma, Chiu-Wing Sham
In urban environments, semantic segmentation using computer vision plays a pivotal role in understanding and interpreting the diverse elements within urban imagery. The Cityscapes dataset, widely used for semantic segmentation in urban scenes, predominantly features urban elements like buildings and vehicles but lacks aquatic elements. Recognizing this limitation, our study introduces a method to enhance the Cityscapes dataset by incorporating aquatic classes, crucial for a comprehensive understanding of coastal urban environments. To achieve this, we employ a dual-model approach using two advanced neural networks. The first network is trained on the standard Cityscapes dataset, while the second focuses on aquatic scenes. We adeptly integrate aquatic features from the marine-focused model into the Cityscapes imagery. This integration is carefully executed to ensure a seamless blend of urban and aquatic elements, thereby creating an enriched dataset that reflects the realities of coastal cities more accurately. Our method is evaluated by comparing the enhanced Cityscapes model with the original on a set of diverse urban images, including aquatic views. The results demonstrate that our approach effectively maintains the high segmentation accuracy of the original Cityscapes dataset for urban elements while successfully integrating marine features. Importantly, this is achieved without necessitating additional training, which is a significant advantage in terms of resource efficiency.
{"title":"Urban Aquatic Scene Expansion for Semantic Segmentation in Cityscapes","authors":"Zongcheng Yue, C. Lo, Ran Wu, Longyu Ma, Chiu-Wing Sham","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8020023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8020023","url":null,"abstract":"In urban environments, semantic segmentation using computer vision plays a pivotal role in understanding and interpreting the diverse elements within urban imagery. The Cityscapes dataset, widely used for semantic segmentation in urban scenes, predominantly features urban elements like buildings and vehicles but lacks aquatic elements. Recognizing this limitation, our study introduces a method to enhance the Cityscapes dataset by incorporating aquatic classes, crucial for a comprehensive understanding of coastal urban environments. To achieve this, we employ a dual-model approach using two advanced neural networks. The first network is trained on the standard Cityscapes dataset, while the second focuses on aquatic scenes. We adeptly integrate aquatic features from the marine-focused model into the Cityscapes imagery. This integration is carefully executed to ensure a seamless blend of urban and aquatic elements, thereby creating an enriched dataset that reflects the realities of coastal cities more accurately. Our method is evaluated by comparing the enhanced Cityscapes model with the original on a set of diverse urban images, including aquatic views. The results demonstrate that our approach effectively maintains the high segmentation accuracy of the original Cityscapes dataset for urban elements while successfully integrating marine features. Importantly, this is achieved without necessitating additional training, which is a significant advantage in terms of resource efficiency.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140212853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Road network connectivity determines the accessibility of urban activities for pedestrians, while streetscape characteristics have an impact on route attractiveness. Methods used to measure the influence of connectivity and streetscape characteristics on walking behavior differ substantially, while trip purpose is a key factor. This paper explores the respective contributions of network connectivity and streetscape features to explain leisure walking and utilitarian trips on 740 street segments in Santarém (Portugal). The indicators cover the most commonly used factors in walkability indexes, such as density, diversity, design, and accessibility. The streetscape features measure imageability, enclosure, human scale, transparency, and complexity. The walking trip information was collected via survey. The results show that connectivity measures have a greater overall explanatory power for both trip motives. However, the findings highlight the need to consider a variety of design indicators to explain walking behavior due to the higher explanation power of the model with two types of indicators.
{"title":"The Impact of Urban Design on Utilitarian and Leisure Walking—The Relative Influence of Street Network Connectivity and Streetscape Features","authors":"Mauro F. Pereira, Paula Santana, David S. Vale","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8020024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8020024","url":null,"abstract":"Road network connectivity determines the accessibility of urban activities for pedestrians, while streetscape characteristics have an impact on route attractiveness. Methods used to measure the influence of connectivity and streetscape characteristics on walking behavior differ substantially, while trip purpose is a key factor. This paper explores the respective contributions of network connectivity and streetscape features to explain leisure walking and utilitarian trips on 740 street segments in Santarém (Portugal). The indicators cover the most commonly used factors in walkability indexes, such as density, diversity, design, and accessibility. The streetscape features measure imageability, enclosure, human scale, transparency, and complexity. The walking trip information was collected via survey. The results show that connectivity measures have a greater overall explanatory power for both trip motives. However, the findings highlight the need to consider a variety of design indicators to explain walking behavior due to the higher explanation power of the model with two types of indicators.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140216736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study focuses on the analysis, implementation and integration of techniques and methods, also based on mathematical algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI), to acquire knowledge of some phenomena that produce pollution with an impact on environmental health, and which start from illicit practices that occur in urban areas. In many urban areas (or agroecosystems), the practice of illegal waste disposing by commercial activities, by abandoning it in the countryside rather than spending economic resources to ensure correct disposal, is widespread. This causes an accumulation of waste in these areas (which can also be protected natural areas), which are then also set on fire to reduce their volume. Obviously, the repercussions of such actions are many. The burning of waste releases contaminants into the environment such as dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls and furans, and deposits other elements on the soil, such as heavy metals, which, by leaching and percolating, contaminate water resources such as rivers and aquifers. The main objective is the design and implementation of monitoring programs against specific illicit activities that take into account territorial peculiarities. This advanced approach leverages AI and GIS environments to interpret environmental states, providing an understanding of ongoing phenomena. The methodology used is based on the implementation of mathematical and AI algorithms, integrated into a GIS environment to address even large-scale environmental issues, improving the spatial and temporal precision of the analyses and allowing the customization of monitoring programs in urban and peri-urban environments based on territorial characteristics. The results of the application of the methodology show the percentages of the different types of waste found in the agroecosystems of the study area and the degree of concentration, allowing the identification of similar areas with greater criticality. Subsequently, through network and nearest neighbour analysis, it is possible to start targeted checks.
{"title":"The Contribution of Open Source Software in Identifying Environmental Crimes Caused by Illicit Waste Management in Urban Areas","authors":"Carmine Massarelli, V. Uricchio","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010021","url":null,"abstract":"This study focuses on the analysis, implementation and integration of techniques and methods, also based on mathematical algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI), to acquire knowledge of some phenomena that produce pollution with an impact on environmental health, and which start from illicit practices that occur in urban areas. In many urban areas (or agroecosystems), the practice of illegal waste disposing by commercial activities, by abandoning it in the countryside rather than spending economic resources to ensure correct disposal, is widespread. This causes an accumulation of waste in these areas (which can also be protected natural areas), which are then also set on fire to reduce their volume. Obviously, the repercussions of such actions are many. The burning of waste releases contaminants into the environment such as dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls and furans, and deposits other elements on the soil, such as heavy metals, which, by leaching and percolating, contaminate water resources such as rivers and aquifers. The main objective is the design and implementation of monitoring programs against specific illicit activities that take into account territorial peculiarities. This advanced approach leverages AI and GIS environments to interpret environmental states, providing an understanding of ongoing phenomena. The methodology used is based on the implementation of mathematical and AI algorithms, integrated into a GIS environment to address even large-scale environmental issues, improving the spatial and temporal precision of the analyses and allowing the customization of monitoring programs in urban and peri-urban environments based on territorial characteristics. The results of the application of the methodology show the percentages of the different types of waste found in the agroecosystems of the study area and the degree of concentration, allowing the identification of similar areas with greater criticality. Subsequently, through network and nearest neighbour analysis, it is possible to start targeted checks.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"28 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140229780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
High-density urban development is promoted by both global and local policies in response to socio-economic and environmental challenges since it increases mobility of different land uses, decreases the need for traveling, encourages the use of more energy-efficient buildings and modes of transportation, and permits the sharing of scarce urban amenities. It is therefore argued that increased density and mixed-use development are expected to deliver positive outcomes in terms of contributing to three pillars (social, economic, and environmental domains) of sustainability in the subject themes. Territorial quality of life (TQL)—initially proposed by the ESPON Programme—is a composite indicator of the socio-economic and environmental well-being and life satisfaction of individuals living in an area. Understanding the role of urban density in TQL can provide an important input for urban planning debates addressing whether compact development can be promoted by referring to potential efficiencies in high-density, mixed land use and sustainable transport provisions. Alternatively, low-density suburban development is preferable due to its benefits of high per capita land use consumption (larger houses) for individual households given lower land prices. There is little empirical evidence on how TQL is shaped by high-density versus low-density urban forms. This paper investigates this topic through providing an approach to spatially map and examine the relationship between TQL, residential expansion, and densification processes in the so-called NUTS2 (nomenclature of terrestrial units for statistics) regions of European Union (EU) member countries. The relative importance of each TQL indicator was determined through the entropy weight method, where these indicators were aggregated through using the subject weights to obtain the overall TQL indicator. The spatial dynamics of TQL were examined and its relationship with residential expansion and densification processes was analysed to uncover whether the former or the latter process is positively associated with the TQL indicator within our study area. From our regression models, the residential expansion index is negatively related to the TQL indicator, implying that high levels of residential expansion can result in a reduction in overall quality of life in the regions if they are not supported by associated infrastructure and facility investments.
{"title":"The Inter-Relationships of Territorial Quality of Life with Residential Expansion and Densification: A Case Study of Regions in EU Member Countries","authors":"E. Ustaoğlu, Brendan Williams","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010022","url":null,"abstract":"High-density urban development is promoted by both global and local policies in response to socio-economic and environmental challenges since it increases mobility of different land uses, decreases the need for traveling, encourages the use of more energy-efficient buildings and modes of transportation, and permits the sharing of scarce urban amenities. It is therefore argued that increased density and mixed-use development are expected to deliver positive outcomes in terms of contributing to three pillars (social, economic, and environmental domains) of sustainability in the subject themes. Territorial quality of life (TQL)—initially proposed by the ESPON Programme—is a composite indicator of the socio-economic and environmental well-being and life satisfaction of individuals living in an area. Understanding the role of urban density in TQL can provide an important input for urban planning debates addressing whether compact development can be promoted by referring to potential efficiencies in high-density, mixed land use and sustainable transport provisions. Alternatively, low-density suburban development is preferable due to its benefits of high per capita land use consumption (larger houses) for individual households given lower land prices. There is little empirical evidence on how TQL is shaped by high-density versus low-density urban forms. This paper investigates this topic through providing an approach to spatially map and examine the relationship between TQL, residential expansion, and densification processes in the so-called NUTS2 (nomenclature of terrestrial units for statistics) regions of European Union (EU) member countries. The relative importance of each TQL indicator was determined through the entropy weight method, where these indicators were aggregated through using the subject weights to obtain the overall TQL indicator. The spatial dynamics of TQL were examined and its relationship with residential expansion and densification processes was analysed to uncover whether the former or the latter process is positively associated with the TQL indicator within our study area. From our regression models, the residential expansion index is negatively related to the TQL indicator, implying that high levels of residential expansion can result in a reduction in overall quality of life in the regions if they are not supported by associated infrastructure and facility investments.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"6 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140229355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marbrisa N. R. das Virgens, Patricia L. Brito, Ricardo Lustosa, J. Pedrassoli, Philipp Ulbrich, João Porto de Albuquerque, Marcos Rodrigo Ferreira, Fernando G. Severo, Alessandra da S. Figueiredo, Marcel Fantin, Hussein Khalil, Federico Costa
Cartographic resources play a crucial role in facilitating communication across various sectors, including research projects focused on low-income communities. Despite this, some researchers still adhere to colonialist and exploitative approaches. This study aims to promote equitable university–community interaction though cartographic resources, aid academic and vulnerable community users in choosing a better platform for their work, and provide insights to developers for improving the platforms to better serve the user profiles of community members. To achieve this, we examined the use of cartographic resources in five projects within low-income communities (commonly referred to as favelas or so-called “slums”) in three Brazilian cities, all guided by equitable principles. The study unfolds in four stages: (i) data collection from documents and interviews; (ii) systematization into seven analytical categories—cartographic resources, data, personnel, processes, equipment, general objectives, and specific objectives; (iii) analysis of eight cartographic resources; and (iv) a critical examination of the outcomes. The synthesis of the collected information identified 65 characteristics/demands, with 17 common to all projects, including vector feature creation, thematic map design, printed map usage, and satellite imagery. We also identified 53 geographic information system (GIS) functionalities required for the projects, predominantly related to vector data generation and editing. The outcomes demonstrate the benefits of project methodologies, contributing to a decolonial university–community praxis. Additionally, they underscore the potential of digital cartographic resources, functioning not solely as data collection tools but also as powerful instruments that empower slum residents to advocate for improvements and foster local development.
{"title":"Cartographic Resources for Equitable University–Community Interaction in Slum Areas","authors":"Marbrisa N. R. das Virgens, Patricia L. Brito, Ricardo Lustosa, J. Pedrassoli, Philipp Ulbrich, João Porto de Albuquerque, Marcos Rodrigo Ferreira, Fernando G. Severo, Alessandra da S. Figueiredo, Marcel Fantin, Hussein Khalil, Federico Costa","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010020","url":null,"abstract":"Cartographic resources play a crucial role in facilitating communication across various sectors, including research projects focused on low-income communities. Despite this, some researchers still adhere to colonialist and exploitative approaches. This study aims to promote equitable university–community interaction though cartographic resources, aid academic and vulnerable community users in choosing a better platform for their work, and provide insights to developers for improving the platforms to better serve the user profiles of community members. To achieve this, we examined the use of cartographic resources in five projects within low-income communities (commonly referred to as favelas or so-called “slums”) in three Brazilian cities, all guided by equitable principles. The study unfolds in four stages: (i) data collection from documents and interviews; (ii) systematization into seven analytical categories—cartographic resources, data, personnel, processes, equipment, general objectives, and specific objectives; (iii) analysis of eight cartographic resources; and (iv) a critical examination of the outcomes. The synthesis of the collected information identified 65 characteristics/demands, with 17 common to all projects, including vector feature creation, thematic map design, printed map usage, and satellite imagery. We also identified 53 geographic information system (GIS) functionalities required for the projects, predominantly related to vector data generation and editing. The outcomes demonstrate the benefits of project methodologies, contributing to a decolonial university–community praxis. Additionally, they underscore the potential of digital cartographic resources, functioning not solely as data collection tools but also as powerful instruments that empower slum residents to advocate for improvements and foster local development.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 43","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140392369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Valeria Placidi, Michele Cenci, Francesco Castellani, Marta Falasca
The increasingly complex dynamics of urban planning require an innovative approach to land use suitability analyses and environmental assessments. Traditionally, these disciplines have provided a critical foundation for sustainable urban development, but the current acceleration of change requires renewed attention to technology and innovation. The integration of advanced territorial data is emerging as a key element to enrich the analysis and mapping of the landscape. This type of data allows for an updated and objective view of reality, providing urban planners and decision makers with a dynamic tool to quickly adapt to evolving urban needs. The use of new technologies increases the accuracy and effectiveness of these analyses, enabling more efficient and sustainable urban planning. This article explores how innovation and technology are transforming the field of land use suitability analyses and environmental assessments and provides real-life examples of how advanced territorial data can be used to model the landscape more accurately in the case of Umbria, a region in Italy characterised by a rich cultural history and picturesque landscapes. Umbria, with its unique geography and delicate environmental balance, provides a fertile ground for exploring how the implementation of territorial databases can contribute to the responsible management of industrial activities. This case study represents an important first step in applying a QGIS and Python geoprocessing approach to these issues. The methodology starts with the creation of territorial data and includes a post-processing phase using Python. This integrated approach not only provides an updated and objective view of the landscape but also represents the first instance in the literature of a study applied to such a small and environmentally rich region as Umbria.
{"title":"The Role of GIS Data Post-Processing in the Environmental Assessment: The Case of Umbria, Italy","authors":"Valeria Placidi, Michele Cenci, Francesco Castellani, Marta Falasca","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010019","url":null,"abstract":"The increasingly complex dynamics of urban planning require an innovative approach to land use suitability analyses and environmental assessments. Traditionally, these disciplines have provided a critical foundation for sustainable urban development, but the current acceleration of change requires renewed attention to technology and innovation. The integration of advanced territorial data is emerging as a key element to enrich the analysis and mapping of the landscape. This type of data allows for an updated and objective view of reality, providing urban planners and decision makers with a dynamic tool to quickly adapt to evolving urban needs. The use of new technologies increases the accuracy and effectiveness of these analyses, enabling more efficient and sustainable urban planning. This article explores how innovation and technology are transforming the field of land use suitability analyses and environmental assessments and provides real-life examples of how advanced territorial data can be used to model the landscape more accurately in the case of Umbria, a region in Italy characterised by a rich cultural history and picturesque landscapes. Umbria, with its unique geography and delicate environmental balance, provides a fertile ground for exploring how the implementation of territorial databases can contribute to the responsible management of industrial activities. This case study represents an important first step in applying a QGIS and Python geoprocessing approach to these issues. The methodology starts with the creation of territorial data and includes a post-processing phase using Python. This integrated approach not only provides an updated and objective view of the landscape but also represents the first instance in the literature of a study applied to such a small and environmentally rich region as Umbria.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"25 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140248692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Slums are a structural feature of urbanization, and shifting urbanization trends underline their significance for the cities of tomorrow. Despite their importance, data and knowledge on slums are very limited. In consideration of the current data landscape, it is not possible to answer one of the most essential questions: Where are slums located? The goal of this study is to provide a more nuanced understanding of the geography of slums and their growth trajectories. The methods rely on the combination of different datasets (city-level slum maps, world cities, global human settlements layer, Atlas of Informality). Slum data from city-level maps form the backbone of this research and are made compatible by differentiating between the municipal area, the urbanized area, and the area beyond. This study quantifies the location of slums in 30 cities, and our findings show that only half of all slums are located within the administrative borders of cities. Spatial growth has also shifted outwards. However, this phenomenon is very different in different regions of the world; the municipality captures less than half of all slums in Africa and the Middle East but almost two-thirds of all slums in cities of South Asia. These insights are used to estimate land requirements within the Sustainable Development Goals time frame. In 2015, almost one billion slum residents occupied a land area as large as twice the size of the country of Portugal. The estimated 380 million residents to be added up to 2030 will need land equivalent to the size of the country of Egypt. This land will be added to cities mainly outside their administrative borders. Insights are provided on how this land demand differs within cities and between world regions. Such novel insights are highly relevant to the policy actions needed to achieve Target 11.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (“by 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums”) as interventions targeted at slums or informal settlements are strongly linked to political and administrative boundaries. More research is needed to draw attention to the urban expansion of cities and the role of slums and informal settlements.
{"title":"A Global Estimate of the Size and Location of Informal Settlements","authors":"Anthony Boanada-Fuchs, M. Kuffer, Jota Samper","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010018","url":null,"abstract":"Slums are a structural feature of urbanization, and shifting urbanization trends underline their significance for the cities of tomorrow. Despite their importance, data and knowledge on slums are very limited. In consideration of the current data landscape, it is not possible to answer one of the most essential questions: Where are slums located? The goal of this study is to provide a more nuanced understanding of the geography of slums and their growth trajectories. The methods rely on the combination of different datasets (city-level slum maps, world cities, global human settlements layer, Atlas of Informality). Slum data from city-level maps form the backbone of this research and are made compatible by differentiating between the municipal area, the urbanized area, and the area beyond. This study quantifies the location of slums in 30 cities, and our findings show that only half of all slums are located within the administrative borders of cities. Spatial growth has also shifted outwards. However, this phenomenon is very different in different regions of the world; the municipality captures less than half of all slums in Africa and the Middle East but almost two-thirds of all slums in cities of South Asia. These insights are used to estimate land requirements within the Sustainable Development Goals time frame. In 2015, almost one billion slum residents occupied a land area as large as twice the size of the country of Portugal. The estimated 380 million residents to be added up to 2030 will need land equivalent to the size of the country of Egypt. This land will be added to cities mainly outside their administrative borders. Insights are provided on how this land demand differs within cities and between world regions. Such novel insights are highly relevant to the policy actions needed to achieve Target 11.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (“by 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums”) as interventions targeted at slums or informal settlements are strongly linked to political and administrative boundaries. More research is needed to draw attention to the urban expansion of cities and the role of slums and informal settlements.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"33 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140264492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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